Background:Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS)is a heterogeneous and complex reproductive endocrinological disease that could lead to infertility.There were many attempts to classify PCOS but it remains unclear whether ...Background:Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS)is a heterogeneous and complex reproductive endocrinological disease that could lead to infertility.There were many attempts to classify PCOS but it remains unclear whether there is a specific subgroup of PCOS that is associated with the best or worst reproductive outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques(ART).Methods:Infertile PCOS patients who underwent their first cycle of in vitro fertilization(IVF)in West China Second University Hospital,Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021 were included.Basic clinical and laboratory information of each individual were extracted.Unsupervised cluster analysis was performed.Controlled ovarian stimulation parameters and reproductive outcomes were collected and compared between the different clusters of PCOS.Results:Our analysis clustered women with PCOS into"reproductive","metabolic",and"balanced"clusters based on nine traits.Reproductive group was characterized by high levels of testosterone(T),sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),follicular stimulation hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),and anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH).Metabolic group was characterized by high levels of body mass index(BMI),fasting insulin,and fasting glucose.Balanced group was characterized by low levels of the aforementioned reproductive and metabolic parameters,except for SHBG.Compared with PCOS patients in reproductive and balanced clusters,those in metabolic cluster had lower rates of good quality day 3 embryo and blastocyst formation.Moreover,PCOS patients in the reproductive cluster had greater fresh embryo transfer(ET)cancelation rate and clinical pregnancy rate after fresh ET than metabolic cluster(odds ratio[OR]=3.37,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.77-6.44,and OR=6.19,95%CI:1.58-24.24,respectively).And compared with PCOS of metabolic cluster,PCOS of balanced cluster also had higher chance for fresh ET cancelation(OR=2.83,95%CI:1.26-6.35).Conclusion:Our study suggested that PCOS patients in metabolic cluster may be associated with adverse reproductive outcomes and might need individualized treatment and careful monitoring before and during ART.展开更多
Background:Previously published meta-epidemiological studies focused on Western medicine have identified some trial characteristics that impact the treatment effect of randomized controlled trials(RCTs).Nevertheless,i...Background:Previously published meta-epidemiological studies focused on Western medicine have identified some trial characteristics that impact the treatment effect of randomized controlled trials(RCTs).Nevertheless,it remains unclear if similar associations exist in RCTs on Chinese herbal medicine(CHM).Further,Chinese medicine-related characteristics have not been explored yet.Objective:To investigate trial characteristics related to treatment effect estimates on CHM RCTs.Search strategy:This meta-epidemiological study searched 5 databases for systematic reviews on CHM treatment published between January 2011 and July 2021.Inclusion criteria:An eligible systematic review should only include RCTs of CHM and conduct at least one meta-analysis.Data extraction and analysis:Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction on general characteristics of systematic reviews,meta-analyses and included RCTs.They also assessed the risk of bias of RCTs using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.A two-step approach was used for data analyses.The ratio of odds ratios(ROR) and difference in standardized mean differences (dSMD) with 95%confidence interval (CI) were applied to present the difference in effect estimates for binary and continuous outcomes,respectively.Results:Ninety-one systematic reviews,comprising 1338 RCTs were identified.For binary outcomes,RCTs incorporated with syndrome differentiation (ROR:1.23;95%CI:[1.07,1.39]),adopting Chinese medicine formula (ROR:1.19;95%CI:[1.03,1.34]),with low risk of bias on incomplete outcome data (ROR:1.29;95%CI:[1.06,1.52]) and selective outcome reporting (ROR:1.12;95%CI:[1.01,1.24]),as well as a trial size≥100 (ROR:1.23;95%CI:[1.04,1.42]) preferred to show larger effect estimates.As for continuous outcomes,RCTs with Chinese medicine diagnostic criteria (dSMD:0.23;95%CI:[0.06,0.41]),judged as high/unclear risk of bias on allocation concealment (dSMD:-0.70;95%CI:[-0.99,-0.42]),with low risk of bias on incomplete outcome data (dSMD:0.30;95%CI:[0.18,0.43]),conducted at a single center (dSMD:-0.33;95%CI:[-0.61,-0.05]),not using intention-to-treat analysis (dSMD:-0.75;95%CI:[-1.43,-0.07]),and without funding support (dSMD:-0.22;95%CI:[-0.41,-0.02]) tended to show larger effect estimates.Conclusion:This study provides empirical evidence for the development of a specific critical appraisal tool for risk of bias assessments on CHM RCTs.展开更多
Biodegradable polymer microspheres that can be used as drug carriers are of great importance in biomedical applications,however,there are still challenges in controllable preparation of microsphere surface morphology ...Biodegradable polymer microspheres that can be used as drug carriers are of great importance in biomedical applications,however,there are still challenges in controllable preparation of microsphere surface morphology and improvement of bioactivity.In this paper,firstly,poly(L-lactic acid)(PLLA)was synthesised by ring-opening polymerisation under anhydrous anaerobic conditions and further combined with the emulsion method,biodegradable PLLA microspheres(PM)with sizes ranging from 60-100μm and with good sphericity were prepared.In addition,to further improve the surface morphology of PLLA microspheres and enhance their bioactivity,functionalised porous PLLA microspheres loaded with magnesium oxide(MgO)/magnesium carbonate(MgCO_(3))(PMg)were also prepared by the emulsion method.The results showed that the loading of MgO/MgCO_(3)resulted in the formation of a porous structure on the surface of the microspheres(PMg)and the dissolved Mg^(2+)could be released slowly during the degradation of microspheres.In vitro cellular experiments demonstrated the good biocompatibility of PM and PMg,while the released Mg^(2+)further enhanced the anti-inflammatory effect and osteogenic activity of PMg.Functionalised PMg not only show promise for controlled preparation of drug carriers,but also have translational potential for bone regeneration.展开更多
To the Editor:Recurrent pregnancy loss(RPL)is defined as the loss of two or more pregnancies before 24 weeks of gestation,and it affects about 1%to 2%of couples.[1]The etiology of RPL includes metabolic/endocrinologic...To the Editor:Recurrent pregnancy loss(RPL)is defined as the loss of two or more pregnancies before 24 weeks of gestation,and it affects about 1%to 2%of couples.[1]The etiology of RPL includes metabolic/endocrinological abnormalities,genetic factors,anatomical factors,immune disorders,thrombophilia,male factors,and psychological factors.[1,2]Systemic autoimmune diseases like antiphospholipid syndrome(APS),[3]undifferentiated connective tissue disease(UCTD),[4]and systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)[5]have been found to be important causes of RPL in recent years.Understanding the associations between different systemic autoimmune diseases and RPL,as well as being able to provide suitable diagnoses and treatments,is of great significance.展开更多
Collagen,the main component of mammal skin,has been traditionally used in leather manufacturing for thousands of years due to its diverse physicochemical properties.Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and...Collagen,the main component of mammal skin,has been traditionally used in leather manufacturing for thousands of years due to its diverse physicochemical properties.Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and the main component of the extracellular matrix(ECM).The properties of collagen also make it an ideal building block for the engineering of materials for a range of biomedical applications.Reproductive medicine,especially human fertility preservation strategies and reproductive organ regeneration,has attracted significant attention in recent years as it is key in resolving the growing social concern over aging populations worldwide.Collagen-based biomaterials such as collagen hydrogels,decellularized ECM(dECM),and bioengineering techniques including collagen-based 3D bio-printing have facilitated the engineering of reproductive tissues.This review summarizes the recent progress in apply-ing collagen-based biomaterials in reproductive.Furthermore,we discuss the prospects of collagen-based materials for engineering artificial reproductive tissues,hormone replacement therapy,and reproductive organ reconstruction,aiming to inspire new thoughts and advancements in engineered reproductive tissues research.展开更多
Functional brain imaging technology has developed rapidly in recent years.On the one hand,high-field 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)has excelled the limited spatial resolution of 3-Tesla MRI,allowing us to ent...Functional brain imaging technology has developed rapidly in recent years.On the one hand,high-field 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)has excelled the limited spatial resolution of 3-Tesla MRI,allowing us to enter a new world of mesoscopic imaging from the macroscopic imaging of human brain functions.On the other hand,novel optical pumping magnetometer-magnetoencephalography(OPM-MEG)has broken down the technical barriers of traditional superconducting MEG,which brings imaging of neuronal electromagnetic signals from cortical imaging to whole-brain imaging.This article aims to present a brief introduction regarding the development of conventional MRI and MEG technology,and,more importantly,to delineate that high-field MRI and OPM-MEG complement each other and together will lead us into a new era of functional brain imaging.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(No.2020YFS0127)the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2022ZYD0067).
文摘Background:Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS)is a heterogeneous and complex reproductive endocrinological disease that could lead to infertility.There were many attempts to classify PCOS but it remains unclear whether there is a specific subgroup of PCOS that is associated with the best or worst reproductive outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques(ART).Methods:Infertile PCOS patients who underwent their first cycle of in vitro fertilization(IVF)in West China Second University Hospital,Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021 were included.Basic clinical and laboratory information of each individual were extracted.Unsupervised cluster analysis was performed.Controlled ovarian stimulation parameters and reproductive outcomes were collected and compared between the different clusters of PCOS.Results:Our analysis clustered women with PCOS into"reproductive","metabolic",and"balanced"clusters based on nine traits.Reproductive group was characterized by high levels of testosterone(T),sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),follicular stimulation hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),and anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH).Metabolic group was characterized by high levels of body mass index(BMI),fasting insulin,and fasting glucose.Balanced group was characterized by low levels of the aforementioned reproductive and metabolic parameters,except for SHBG.Compared with PCOS patients in reproductive and balanced clusters,those in metabolic cluster had lower rates of good quality day 3 embryo and blastocyst formation.Moreover,PCOS patients in the reproductive cluster had greater fresh embryo transfer(ET)cancelation rate and clinical pregnancy rate after fresh ET than metabolic cluster(odds ratio[OR]=3.37,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.77-6.44,and OR=6.19,95%CI:1.58-24.24,respectively).And compared with PCOS of metabolic cluster,PCOS of balanced cluster also had higher chance for fresh ET cancelation(OR=2.83,95%CI:1.26-6.35).Conclusion:Our study suggested that PCOS patients in metabolic cluster may be associated with adverse reproductive outcomes and might need individualized treatment and careful monitoring before and during ART.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81973709)Chinese Medicine Development Fund (21B2/018A)State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine Special Fund (SZ2021ZZ05,SZ2021ZZ0502)。
文摘Background:Previously published meta-epidemiological studies focused on Western medicine have identified some trial characteristics that impact the treatment effect of randomized controlled trials(RCTs).Nevertheless,it remains unclear if similar associations exist in RCTs on Chinese herbal medicine(CHM).Further,Chinese medicine-related characteristics have not been explored yet.Objective:To investigate trial characteristics related to treatment effect estimates on CHM RCTs.Search strategy:This meta-epidemiological study searched 5 databases for systematic reviews on CHM treatment published between January 2011 and July 2021.Inclusion criteria:An eligible systematic review should only include RCTs of CHM and conduct at least one meta-analysis.Data extraction and analysis:Two reviewers independently conducted data extraction on general characteristics of systematic reviews,meta-analyses and included RCTs.They also assessed the risk of bias of RCTs using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.A two-step approach was used for data analyses.The ratio of odds ratios(ROR) and difference in standardized mean differences (dSMD) with 95%confidence interval (CI) were applied to present the difference in effect estimates for binary and continuous outcomes,respectively.Results:Ninety-one systematic reviews,comprising 1338 RCTs were identified.For binary outcomes,RCTs incorporated with syndrome differentiation (ROR:1.23;95%CI:[1.07,1.39]),adopting Chinese medicine formula (ROR:1.19;95%CI:[1.03,1.34]),with low risk of bias on incomplete outcome data (ROR:1.29;95%CI:[1.06,1.52]) and selective outcome reporting (ROR:1.12;95%CI:[1.01,1.24]),as well as a trial size≥100 (ROR:1.23;95%CI:[1.04,1.42]) preferred to show larger effect estimates.As for continuous outcomes,RCTs with Chinese medicine diagnostic criteria (dSMD:0.23;95%CI:[0.06,0.41]),judged as high/unclear risk of bias on allocation concealment (dSMD:-0.70;95%CI:[-0.99,-0.42]),with low risk of bias on incomplete outcome data (dSMD:0.30;95%CI:[0.18,0.43]),conducted at a single center (dSMD:-0.33;95%CI:[-0.61,-0.05]),not using intention-to-treat analysis (dSMD:-0.75;95%CI:[-1.43,-0.07]),and without funding support (dSMD:-0.22;95%CI:[-0.41,-0.02]) tended to show larger effect estimates.Conclusion:This study provides empirical evidence for the development of a specific critical appraisal tool for risk of bias assessments on CHM RCTs.
基金National Key R&D Program of China,Nos.2018YFE0201500,2022YFC2405802National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.51973060.
文摘Biodegradable polymer microspheres that can be used as drug carriers are of great importance in biomedical applications,however,there are still challenges in controllable preparation of microsphere surface morphology and improvement of bioactivity.In this paper,firstly,poly(L-lactic acid)(PLLA)was synthesised by ring-opening polymerisation under anhydrous anaerobic conditions and further combined with the emulsion method,biodegradable PLLA microspheres(PM)with sizes ranging from 60-100μm and with good sphericity were prepared.In addition,to further improve the surface morphology of PLLA microspheres and enhance their bioactivity,functionalised porous PLLA microspheres loaded with magnesium oxide(MgO)/magnesium carbonate(MgCO_(3))(PMg)were also prepared by the emulsion method.The results showed that the loading of MgO/MgCO_(3)resulted in the formation of a porous structure on the surface of the microspheres(PMg)and the dissolved Mg^(2+)could be released slowly during the degradation of microspheres.In vitro cellular experiments demonstrated the good biocompatibility of PM and PMg,while the released Mg^(2+)further enhanced the anti-inflammatory effect and osteogenic activity of PMg.Functionalised PMg not only show promise for controlled preparation of drug carriers,but also have translational potential for bone regeneration.
基金This work was supported by a grant from the Health Department of Sichuan Province(No.20PJ072).
文摘To the Editor:Recurrent pregnancy loss(RPL)is defined as the loss of two or more pregnancies before 24 weeks of gestation,and it affects about 1%to 2%of couples.[1]The etiology of RPL includes metabolic/endocrinological abnormalities,genetic factors,anatomical factors,immune disorders,thrombophilia,male factors,and psychological factors.[1,2]Systemic autoimmune diseases like antiphospholipid syndrome(APS),[3]undifferentiated connective tissue disease(UCTD),[4]and systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)[5]have been found to be important causes of RPL in recent years.Understanding the associations between different systemic autoimmune diseases and RPL,as well as being able to provide suitable diagnoses and treatments,is of great significance.
基金the Sichuan Science and Technology Program(L.Q.,Grant No.2020YFS0127)the Y.Z.laboratory was financially supported by the Research project of Science&Technology Department of Sichuan Province(Y.Z.,Grant No.2021YJ0416)+3 种基金project of Chengdu Science and Technology Bureau,(Y.Z.,Grant No.2021-YF05-02110-SN)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Y.Z.,Grant No.82001496)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Y.Z.,Grant No.2020M680149,2020T130087ZX)the National Global Talents Recruitment Program(J.G.),National Natural Science Foundation of China(22178233)Talents Program of Sichuan Province,Double First Class University Plan of Sichuan University,State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering(J.G.,Grant No.sklpme 2020-3-01).
文摘Collagen,the main component of mammal skin,has been traditionally used in leather manufacturing for thousands of years due to its diverse physicochemical properties.Collagen is the most abundant protein in mammals and the main component of the extracellular matrix(ECM).The properties of collagen also make it an ideal building block for the engineering of materials for a range of biomedical applications.Reproductive medicine,especially human fertility preservation strategies and reproductive organ regeneration,has attracted significant attention in recent years as it is key in resolving the growing social concern over aging populations worldwide.Collagen-based biomaterials such as collagen hydrogels,decellularized ECM(dECM),and bioengineering techniques including collagen-based 3D bio-printing have facilitated the engineering of reproductive tissues.This review summarizes the recent progress in apply-ing collagen-based biomaterials in reproductive.Furthermore,we discuss the prospects of collagen-based materials for engineering artificial reproductive tissues,hormone replacement therapy,and reproductive organ reconstruction,aiming to inspire new thoughts and advancements in engineered reproductive tissues research.
文摘Functional brain imaging technology has developed rapidly in recent years.On the one hand,high-field 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)has excelled the limited spatial resolution of 3-Tesla MRI,allowing us to enter a new world of mesoscopic imaging from the macroscopic imaging of human brain functions.On the other hand,novel optical pumping magnetometer-magnetoencephalography(OPM-MEG)has broken down the technical barriers of traditional superconducting MEG,which brings imaging of neuronal electromagnetic signals from cortical imaging to whole-brain imaging.This article aims to present a brief introduction regarding the development of conventional MRI and MEG technology,and,more importantly,to delineate that high-field MRI and OPM-MEG complement each other and together will lead us into a new era of functional brain imaging.
